Tucked In
by Spankbending
Summary: The Fire Lord's duties may keep him awake in the late hours of the night. But his bride to be is quite adamant that he gets his rest. WARNINGS: SPANKING! Playful and romantic, but not sexual.


**Mai and Zuko are my favorite couple from the series, and it was always in the plans to write a story (probably several) about them. I always knew that it would be an F/m relationship that is based on pleasure and not discipline. But I wanted something that does justice to it, and I feel confidant that this is a worthy intro. This story is about the joys of submission in a relationship and how spanking can be just what the doctor ordered when things get too stressful. While it is certainly playful, I hope this story comes across more as romantic and sweet than erotic or smutty.**

Growling in exhausted frustration, the Fire Lord incinerated another scrunched paper. The lateness of the hour, or rather the earliness, and the full day of going through official documents were starting to take their toll on him. Such was the duty of the ruler of the Fire Nation, especially when he had to make amends for the war while making sure his nation was still treated fairly.

A quiet, condescending chuckle came from halfway across the room. Most people would have considered such laughter an insult or at least an annoyance. For Zuko, it was sweet and relaxing, because it belonged to a sixteen year old girl who meant more to him than anything.

"Perhaps you should go to bed, Your Highness?" Mai suggested, putting the kind of sarcastic emphasis on "Your Highness" that might have cost her when referring to anyone else. But to her, Zuko was not an authority figure to be respected and feared, but a boyfriend to flirt with and dote upon.

"I can't," he moped, "This letter has to be written, and then I have all this to go through!" He waved his hand in the direction of a rather large stack of papers on his left-hand side while beginning to inscribe the same formal letter to yet another of his generals.

Rising from her seat, the woman destined to become Fire Lady sauntered seductively to his desk. "You are putting too much of a burden on yourself, Zuko," Mai said before planting a light kiss on the scarred tissue on the left side of his face. "Can't it wait until morning?" she asked, turning his head to face her and smiling with reassurance.

"Well...I suppose...maybe," he began before he was interrupted with a passionate kiss on his lips. Leaning towards her, the Fire Lord responded gratefully to her touch, pressing another soft peck after the initial contact ended. Undeniably, Mai had a way of making even the most important royal duties seem insignificant.

Daringly, she guided Zuko away from his chair and pulled him close for another kiss. "Enough paperwork," she decided for him with absolute authority, and the Fire Lord could not argue even if he wanted to. "Zuko, I am ordering you to go to bed."

Just as he was about to say something in protest, she slapped the right side of his bottom hard enough to get his attention, even with the thick robes he was wearing. Visibly blushing with embarrassment, the Fire Lord closed his mouth and forged it into an innocent smile.

"Not a word, Young Man," she commanded, tapping his shoulder with one finger and weakening his resolve. "Or I shall have to discipline you before tucking you in," she threatened coyly before favoring him with another soft kiss, this time on his neck.

Quickly, Zuko put out the candles that lit up the room and embraced his lover ever more tightly. Knowing full well she would follow up on that promise, and also knowing she _wanted _to follow up on that promise, he leaned against her ear so she could hear his whisper clearly.

"But I don't want to go to bed," he lied. Aside from long overdue sleep, promises of the attention she would lavish on him made bedtime very desirable indeed.

Cheerfully giggling, which was uncharacteristic except when it involved him, Mai took a half step back. Placing her hands on her hips, she did her best to look intimidating and inviting at the same time.

"That's another word," she pointed out dryly, shaking her head and unable to hide the mischievous grin creeping onto her face. "I will be waiting for you in your room, Young Man."

"Young Man" was a phrase that made Zuko's heart melt. His temptress slowly walked out of the room, casting one more longing glance on him before leaving. Granting her about a minute to beat him to his room and prepare for what she was going to do. Once the long seconds passed, he eagerly walked his way to the room.

Royal romantic entanglements were obviously anything but secret, and it was known that Mai often entered the Fire Lord's private dressing room in the late hours of the night. Easy assumptions weren't true; the young couple was waiting until marriage to give themselves fully to each other. Fortunately, the wide berth the palace guards gave them allowed the two to engage in something much more taboo.

Zuko entered his chamber, hanged his tunic up so she could admire his upper body, and saw his fiance sitting on his bed, as expected. Domineering and assertive, Mai was staring a hole through him, tapping her open left hand softly with a small wooden hairbrush. Limited imagination was required to guess the brush's intended purpose.

Mai beckoned him towards her by curling her finger. Keeping just out of reach of her arm, the Fire Lord obeyed and stood in front of her. Nervous anticipation caused him to shuffle his feet and twiddle his thumbs while he awaited his sentencing.

"Somebody has been a very naughty boy tonight," she toyed with him. "Very naughty indeed," she pressed on, stroking the flat side of the brush and making him squirm. Quirking an eyebrow, she questioned, "Do you know who that boy is, Zuko?"

Jovially sighing because he was unable to pretend he wasn't looking forward to this, he shrugged and answered, "I suppose that would be me?"

"Why yes, it is you," she confirmed in her adorably caustic belittling of him. "Unfortunately, that means I will have to send you to bed with a sore bottom," she concluded.

Zuko gulped. Even though he knew minutes ago that he was to be spanked, hearing it still made him shiver.

"Come over here and lay over my lap, Zuko," she instructed, leaving no room for argument. Whenever they played like this, Mai's cool, detached personality just emphasized her inability to be challenged. As for Zuko, his tendency to let his temper get the best of him constantly made these "attitude adjustments" fitting for him. Being dominate was natural to her, and being submissive was natural to him, so there was no gray area in the chain of command.

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered timidly, using a title that he knew she loved. Nervously, he stepped towards her and then bent over, resting his stomach on her knees and bending his thighs inward so Mai had easy access to the entire curve of his bottom. Folding his arms and resting his head on them, the Fire Lord took a deep breath and waited anxiously for his spanking to begin.

Luckily for him, Mai decided to start on a low note; she slowly delivered gentle smacks to his cheeks. They made the pleasant smacking noise that Zuko found so arousing, but did not hurt very much and allowed his mind to drift. Recalling the first time she had put him over her lap, he couldn't help but laugh.

Only two weeks into his reign as Fire Lord, Mai had decided that he needed to be punished for running away, just so he could "learn who was boss," as she put it. Jokingly, she bent him into position and gave him a flurry of playful smacks, much as she was doing now. Unexpectedly, for both of them, Zuko had encouraged her to hit a little harder, and by the time he was allowed off her knees, his bottom was hot and stinging.

"Laughing, are you? My my, that simply won't do," she scolded, though he could hear the laughter in her voice as she did so. Quickening her pace and making the smacks harder, she spanked more realistically and Zuko could fill the tingling sensation of pain start to build in his cheeks. Kicking his legs instinctively, he let out a yelp of surprise before quieting himself.

His body tried to resist and avoid the swats, but he fought those urges. Perfectly submissive, the Fire Lord kept still and allowed his buttocks to be punished. Giving in to the experience, he began to wince and curl his fingers and toes each time she made contact.

"I think it's time for your pants to come down," she declared, giving him a light smack to prod him. Very familiar with this part of the ritual, Zuko stood on his toes. Dutifully raising his bottom off of her lap, he gave her the room to lower his pants to his knees. She did this slowly, letting his bare skin taste the cool air one inch at a time.

When he felt the cloth being left on his knees, the Fire Lord lowered himself back into the posture she so loved having him in. Biting his lower lip at the contact between his manhood and her skirt, Zuko tried his best to stay calm. Once the spanking resumed, he found this much easier. Rhythmic, steady slaps peppered his now bare behind, no longer leaving a mild twinge but a sharp, memorable sting.

His response to the more severe chastisement including biting his lower lip, contorting his neck and flexing his buttocks. Completely resigned to her discipline, he did not entertain any thoughts of fighting against her. Mai was his comfort zone, the one truly great thing in his hectic world, and his place was with her, taking whatever gift she wished to give him.

Swat after heavy swat landed, and he allowed himself to whimper quietly. Not wanting to appear weak, but simply willing, he always fought his natural instincts to cry for as long as he could, though she often brought him to that point. In those cases, he was not ashamed of his tears, but instead pleased that she could do that for him.

Just as he was starting to adjust to the feel of her hand chastising his exposed flesh, she stopped abruptly. Quietly taking advantage of the pause to catch his breath, he knew that she was now picking up the brush. Gasping when he felt the wood on one cheek, he was thankful she was rubbing him first and not starting immediately. Very thankful.

"Ask me to spank you with the hairbrush, Zuko," she commanded firmly. "Use your manners."

Zuko sighed, because the brush always hurt, and he much preferred her hand. For her though, he would endure anything, just to please her. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself to obey.

"Please spank me with the hairbrush, Ma'am," he complied politely, knowing she would grant his forced request.

"You're such a good boy," she said, ruffling his hair affectionately. "Doing just what I tell you to do without a fuss," she complimented, though he knew she would still carry through with it.

Expectantly, he felt the first punishing blow of the brush, pushing his body forward from the force. Loudly crying right away, Zuko knew he was in for quite the beating tonight. Keeping as still as possible, he awaited the next swat from the brush.

It came suddenly and harshly, and he was unable to stop from arching his back in response. Leaning on outstretched arms, he made sure to keep his lower half in position as he bawled. More strikes came faster, causing him to lose his sense of composure and wail like a child.

He felt her left hand pressing down gently between his shoulder blades. This wordless encouragement helped Zuko to calm down, and he plopped back down on her knees and the bed. Sobbing weakly, he stayed limp and prepared for her to continue the assault on his posterior.

Continue she did, though she seemed to recognize his resistance was involuntary. New swats from the brush were softer and bearable, though still painful. But it was the good sort of pain that made him crave this kind of attention, the sensation that let him know he was alive and cared for.

Unquestionably, there was a high level of trust and intimacy involved in his submission. Perhaps that's why he was so willing to allow her to do this, and that she was easing up on him when it got too intense reinforced this. Knowing that she would never really hurt him was very comforting.

As she drew out this so-called discipline for several minutes, Mai took a moment between each swing to softly caress his punished skin. Zuko savored these small breaks, moaning his approval. Eventually, the brush stopped smacking his bottom and it was only her hands at work, rubbing and occasionally giving him another swat.

Finally, after several minutes of this treatment, her hands left his back side alone. Reaching down to his knees, she grabbed his pants and started to pull up. Without prodding, Zuko raised his body so she could cover him without a struggle, and winced as the cotton pants pressed against his throbbing bottom.

"Okay, Zuko, it's time for you to go to bed," she informed him, once again making it clear that resistance was pointless. Pulling her off her lap and helping him stand, she smiled at him and gave him a hug.

"Yes, Ma'am," was his contrite reply. Quite beyond the point of rebellion, he returned the embrace, sniffling and letting a few tears soak the shoulder of her dress.

Drifting away from the embrace, Zuko raised the blankets of his bed. Very carefully, he slid under the covers and rested his head on a pillow, looking at his girlfriend with a besotted expression of thankfulness.

"Good boy," she repeated softly, kissing him on his forehead and tucking him in the covers as promised. Just as she walked out of the room, the Fire Lord began to doze off, both worn out and content from his last trip over his girlfriend's knees.


End file.
